Community corn roasts benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Organizers couldn’t have asked for a better fall day when they held their Korn for Kids fundraiser on Sunday. The event was held at the Empire Theatre to raise funds for Ronald McDonald Toronto. The 7th annual event went off without a hitch. There were a lot of new volunteers and more of them than in past years which helped keep the corn roast moving and the donations coming in. Reynald Brisson was please to say that for just the Korn for Kids event itself they raised a little over $4,000. and the fundraising isn’t finished.

A letter campaign started this week for corporate donations. Although, anyone can make a donation. They can drop off cheques to the Empire Theatre made out to the Ronald McDonald Toronto and it will be sent. Official receipts will be issued for donations of $15. and over. The letter campaign runs until Nov. 30.

There are still tickets available as children’s playhouse, they will be available at Valu-mart this weekend. The draw will be made October 31. Brisson is very happy with the assistance of the community in making this yearly campaign so successful. Donations helps Ronald McDonald Toronto provide a safe and welcoming haven for families from Northern Ontario and the coastal communities who have children who require medical care in Toronto.

Rey Brisson is known for being a strong community leader in Cochrane. But the current town councillor and his family were in dire need of support back in 2002.

His then 16-year-old son was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and needed to go to Toronto for treatment. He found that support through Ronald McDonald House. And now he is determined to give back to the organization to help other Northern families. “When a child in the family has cancer, everyone has cancer,” he said. “He went through chemo, radiation … all that stuff, and was very, very sick. Like everyone else, we had heard of Ronald McDonald House. For seven months, off and on, we stayed there in Toronto.”

Five years ago, Brisson started a little fundraiser in Cochrane called Korn for Kids. The idea was simple: Raise funds through a community corn roast. “We raised $2,000 that first year,” Brisson said. “Last year, it grew to just under $20,000. This year, our goal is $25,000.”

While successful corn roasts were held in Cochrane and, for the first time, Kapuskasing this year, the fundraising continues with a draw for a children’s Funny Playhouse. Brisson and volunteers are stationed at Walmart in Timmins through to Sunday, where the prize is also on display. Tickets are being sold for $5 each.

Next year, Brisson hopes to add Timmins to the host communities for Kids for Korn corn roasts. It is an event he wants to keep growing. “Hopefully, in years to come it will be all over the place.”

For the Brisson family, their fight with cancer had a happy ending. “Today, my son is 27 years old and an engineer with the GO Train in Toronto,” he said. “His story is good. Unfortunately, not all stories end that way.”

“For all the kids fighting the fights of their life, Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home. They do fabulous work.”

Korn for Kids wrapped up their 2013 fundraising efforts on Friday, November 15 when they drew the winner of the funny playhouse outside of the Empire Theatre. The Club Colombe Richelieu donated the funny playhouse for the draw this year.

Korn for Kids sold $6,450 worth of tickets for the draw. Richard Moore was invited to draw the winner just after 2 p.m. on Friday. Club Colombe Richelieu members, Korn for Kids volunteers and both Korn for Kids organizers, Rey Brisson and Cyrstal Brisson (no relation), were at the draw. The winner of the funny playhouse was Pat Bamford from South Porcupine.

Rey has been organizing events in Cochrane for the past five years but this was the first year that Cyrstal organized an event in Kapuskasing.

“We did a learning curve this year,” she said. For the first time event Kap was able to raise $10,265.54 between their corn roast in September and the funny playhouse tickets.

“I’m very happy, my heart is so happy,” said Crystal. Crystal was traveling to Toronto this week. During her trip she planned to visit the Ronald McDonald House for the first time ever and personally deliver a cheque from Korn for Kids.

As of Friday, November 15, the total amount raised between both Cochrane and Kapuskasing for the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto was $24,081.88. The total raised came from the September corn roasts, the tickets for the funny playhouse, donations, sponsors from businesses and pennies that were collected throughout the year. Cochrane collected $473.35 pennies alone.

“The numbers reflect all the volunteers and hours,” said Rey. “This came about because people stepped up to the plate and did whatever they could in their own areas,” he added.

This was the fifth annual event for Cochrane and the most money that was ever raised by Korn for Kids thanks to the new addition of Kapuskasing to the fundraiser. Rey is hoping that Korn for Kids will continue to the spread across the north and other people will organize events in their own hometowns like Crystal did this year.